Improvement in ships  logs



I. & G. H. BLISS.

SHIPS Los.

Patented June 6,1876,

N.PETERS. PHOTOMTHOGRAFNEK WASHINGTON 0 c.

UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BLISS AND GEORGE H. BLISS OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENTJN SHIPS LOGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 178,261., dated J une6, 1876; application filed February 16,1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN BLIss and GEORGE H. Buss, of Brooklyn, in thecounty of Kings and State of New York, have invented an Improvement inShips Logs, of which the following is a specification:

Shipslogs'have been made with a registering mechanism in a circular ordrum form connected with the vessel, and from this a line passes to thepropeller in the water. This form is expensive and cumbersome.

Logs have also been made with an elongated registering mechanism withthe propeller in one apparatus, and these are fastened to a line andthrown over together. Difficulty arises in making an accurateobservation and allowing for the time in paying out and drawiug in theline. The elongated case and reg ister are those mostly used; butheretofore this character of register has not been fitted at the vesseland connected to the'distant propeller.

In the drawing, Figure l is a vertical section of the registeringmechanism. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation of thepropeller; and Fig. 4 is an elevation of the anti-friction rollers and asection of the log-case.

The case a is elongated and of a general form corresponding to theregister-cases that have been connected directly to the propeller.Within this case are the dials and pointers b, and the shaft 0 has uponitthe worm-pinion c that gives motion to the registering mechanism. Weapply with this elongated case an eye, d, at one end, to which asafety-cord is to be attached to prevent loss of the register in caseofaccident to the suspending devices, hereafter described; but theapparatus might be suspended by this eye alone, and an eye,

' d, atthe end of the shaft 0, to which the line or wire of suitablematerial, preferably a copper wire, 6, extending to the propeller It,

is attached; and within this case a there are anti-friction rollers itthat run upon the flat, or nearly flat, surface It, and prevent thefriction that results from tension upon the logwire 0 interfering withthe accuracy of the registration.

The elongated register-case is preferably sustained near its center ofgravity by the gimbaling mechanism that allows the elongated case toaccommodate itself to the line of tension of the wire 6, so that thebearing of the shaft 0 will be relieved from as much friction aspossible.

The yoke m is connected by the pivot-studs a to the case a, and when theregister is to be sustained upon the rail of the vessel said yoke m willterminate in a vertical pivot that enters a socket forming a gimbal andswivel. It will, however, generally be preferable to have this yoke mlong enough to occupy a horizontal position, as shown, so that the logcan be attached at the stern'of the vessel by a horizontal bolt; or whenthe logis to be attached by a rope, an eye is to be provided at the endof the bail in place of the bolt.

This attachment is very convenient and reliable, and the registeringmechanism can be placed out of the way of ropes and chains in a positionwhere it may remain as a fixture.

.In drawing in the propeller, the rope or wire is frequently snappedfrom the twisting action of the propeller while still in thewater. Thisis augmented by the jerks that are often given in carelessly pulling inthe propeller. We prevent the rotation of the propeller when it is beingdrawn in by a conical messenger, 1', of thin sheet metal or othersuitable material that is allowed to run down the rope or wire 0, andsufficiently inclose or shield the front end of the propeller-blades toprevent them receiving the rotary motion in drawing through the water.This messenger has a central hole for the wire, and it may be split atone side andsprung open to allow of its being placed upon or taken offthe wire 0.

The glass 8 is secured within the metal frame It, and this frame is'madeas an arc of a circle upon the under side, so as to fit the cylindricalcase a, and screws to are employed to connect the frame and case.

By using this glass and cement between the surfaces, the registeringmechanism within the case a can be kept free from water, instead ofbeing constantly wet, as heretofore. A small hole at 11 allows anymoisture or condensation to escape.

The wire that leads from the vessel must be kept from sudden bends orkinks in winding and unwinding; otherwise the wire is liable to bebroken or to twist off by the revolution of the propeller. To preventinjury to the wire in winding up or unwinding, we provide a reel in theform of a ring, :0, grooved upon its periphery to receive the wire. Thisring is handled in winding up or letting off the wire, as the ring is ofa size and shape to be grasped by the hands, and does not have any shaftor support; hence the winding is entirely in the hands of the operator.Fig. 5 represents said winding-ring by a side View and elevation. Thisgrooved ringis preferably a trough shaped ring of cast or sheet metal;but it may be partially of wood.

We claim as our invention- 1. The elongated case and gimbaling mechanismsupportin g such case near the center of gravity, in combination withthe revolving shaft 0, propeller 7c, and cord or wire 6, substantiallyas set forth.

2. The elongated case a, with an eye at one end fora safety cord orchain, in combination with the shaft or spindle projecting from theother end, and connected by the wire or rope F with the propeller 70,substantially as set case a, and registering mechanism, as set forth.

6. The combination, with the propeller of a ,ships log, of amessenger-shield, 1', constructed substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

Signed by us this 14th day of February, A. D. 1876.

JOHN BLISS. GEO. H. BLISS.

Witnesses:

GEo. T. PINCKNEY, CHAS. H. SMITH.

